Fiorella De Cindio, What after protests? Design issues and software tools toward deliberative democracy

Fiorella de CindioISDT 2011, Porto 1

WHAT AFTER PROTESTS?DESIGN ISSUES AND SOFTWARE TOOLSTOWARD DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY

Fiorella De Cindio

Dept. of Informatics and CommunicationUniversity of Milan

&RCM (Milano Community Network) Foundation

Fiorella de CindioISDT 2011, Porto

LIC: Laboratorio di Informatica Civica (dal 1994) framework: social interactive systems in real life settings analysis, design and development of methods, software tools and

field experiencs in the area of e-participation, in particular at thelocal level

The first initiative (since Sept. 1994): t the Milan Community Network (RCM >25.000 registered

members) inspired to Community Networks e Free Nets since December 1998, a Participatory Foundation a long series of projects and initiatives

LIC and Foundation RCM


To Gary for inventing ISDT and inviting me in 2000and 2010

To the organizers of ISDT 2011 for inviting meagain

Gary’s focus: strongly rooted in CPSRComputer Professional for Social Responsibility

what computer scientists and professionals can doto help people we are discussing with in other ISDT

talks ?

to develop digital systems that allow peopleto shape a “better” world

to understand how to develop these systems to understand more the nature of our discipline

“Will we be smart enough, soon enough?”(Doug Schuler, ISDT 2009)

Thanks

Gary, ISDT 2009


Settore pubblicoPA, istituzioni

Settore privatoeconomia, mercato

The best way to forecast

future is to invent it

A.Kay

K.Nygaard

The informatics perspective


The empirical nature of Informatics (Nygaard, 1986)

Differently from Mathematics and Engineering,Informatics (not Computer Science) is an empirical science

Consists of:1. a phenomenology, or empirical basis, i.e. phenomena

(any fact, circumstance, or experience that is apparent to the sense) to be studied (their identification, observed behaviours, andproperties)ex.: Tycho Brahe in astronomy, Lynneus in botany

2. comprehension and explanation of phenomena throughmodels based on an underlying theory(properties, concepts, relations,..... anticipation of behaviour)ex.: Newton in astronomy, Darwin in botany

3. Validation of models and theories through experimentsex.: the experiments at CERN in Physicsexperiments have to be designed

• computability• complexity• concurrency• (regular)

languages• ……….

The programmable computer

just applications


Tahrir Square February 18, 2011


Milan, Duomo Square, May 30, 2011


“We are the Men ofFacebook”

Divergent and polarized opinions


Rome, San Giovanni Square, June 12, 2011: the Gay Pride


“after (successful) protest” or “after (successful) elections”:

How can we design technology to support the evolution and sustainability of protest movements (mainly)

raised online ? citizens’ movements

-- which have found online support to organize and mobilizeto set up a democratic organization ?

the request coming from these aggregations of engaged citizensfor a more inclusive democracy ?

Public institutions which really want to engage citizens,but need to learn how to do it in a sustainable way

………….

Can ICT help people to shape “their” world ?


The empirical nature of Informatics (Nygaard, 1986)

Differently from Mathematics and Engineering,Informatics (not Computer Science) is an empirical science

Consists of:1. a phenomenology, or empirical basis, i.e. phenomena

(any fact, circumstance, or experience that is apparent to the sense) to be studied (their identification, observed behaviours, andproperties)ex.: Tycho Brahe in astronomy, Lynneus in botany

2. comprehension and explanation of phenomena throughmodels based on an underlying theory(properties, concepts, relations,..... anticipation of behaviour)ex.: Newton in astronomy, Darwin in botany

3. Validation of models and theories through experimentsex.: the experiments at CERN in Physicsexperiments have to be designed

At least framework(s), i.e., set(s) of organized concepts and tools from various disciplines

The network society

Case studies in real-life settings to learn from experience: successes & failures

Transparent failure (Kuhn, 1963)The structure of scientific revolutions


A double iteration

Da “Web Science” (2008): Tim Berners-Lee et al.

real-life settings to learn from experience


1. it is a well established democracy, with a very good Constitutionwritten after 20 years of the Fascist regime

2. it suffers (since ~10/15 years) of a “democratic anomaly”it is governed by Prime Minister Berlusconi who is at the sametime a tycoon owner of a large media empire

he owns or controls quite directly all (but one ?) national TVchannels; indirectly major national newspapers, ….

3. the net is more and more the unique channel for gathering anddistributing information (against media control), organizingactivities, sharing experiences and speaking freely:in summary for sustaining civic engagement and organizingpolitical opposition

A good laboratory for addressing the “after protest” issues mistakes and opportunities

My “lab” is Italy


Risk 1 lesson 1 from a “success” storyfrom blogger to political leader

Risk 2 lesson 2 from a failureFacebook

(I developed and used these examples to discusswith citizens and politicians)

What about the use of existing platforms


A frequent mistake

both public institutions and grassroots movements, when realize theneed of setting up an online space for civic purposes

either open space(s) on Facebook, Twitter, Ning,a Google group, …

place side by side a “collage” of some popular web-basedapplications/modules:

some discussion boards a blog area polls some social network features

bothcritical in terms of resources and of citizens participation

Problems: tools and spaces conceived and designed for different purposes and

for a different audience lack of design (no design) often delegating the implementation to somebody else (a web agency

or the most skilled guy ,i.e., a techie)


organized through Beppe Grillo’s blogagainst the political “caste”

Bologna, September 8, 2007

organized through Beppe Grillo’s blogagainst the political “caste”

Bologna, September 8, 2007 Last posts:- 676 comments- 847 comments- 1043 comments

http://www.casaleggio.it/thefutureofpolitics


Beppe Grillo’s blog The 5 Stars MoVement

Many people see him as a leader against Berlusconi and the political caste increasing score in local elections

~10% in Emilia-Romagna, ~5% in Piemonte real impact on the results (non elections of left-coalition

candidates)While he is probably another example of the case:

“I/we participate, he/they profit”The main problem is actually the way in which the Beppe Grillo’s blog is

managed: because of is public role, it is no longer the ‘private’ spaceof a popular blogger

The blog is managed by a private company whose mission is to developthe web presence and strategy of customer companies for marketingpurposes

They apply the same approach to Grillo’s blog capillary and non manifest control through

“hidden” moderators fully non democratic promote a deceitful “vision” of the future which demands to

reflect about direct online democracy


Self-organized through pageno support from political parties and trade unions

> 500.000

Violet People

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the Violet People Facebook page

• created and managed by an anonymous profile -- San Precario:who is the actual owner of the page ?Nobody knows (actually, someone knows)

• the day after the demonstration, the Fb page is ‘renewed’:only some of the admins of the NoB Day page are invited again(by San Precario)

• the rules for managing the page changed several times according to Fbneeds, and “San Precario” choices

• rise of conflicts within the administrators group around political issues:• relationship between the national group and the local groups• internal democracy of the movememntbecame issues about passwords, permission, time, ….

The Violet movement in one year became marginal (disappeared)


Candidates at the primary elections of the left coalition forMayor of the City of Milan

To ask a question, a citizen as to click “I like”

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“you are indeed NON DEMOCRATIC” !

Who is non democratic: Pisapia, Boeri, Onida, Sacerdoti….or Facebook?

or the problem is in using Facebookfor a wrong purpose

[ex. : no permalink the ‘intelligence’ flows away]

Unde

moc

ratic

o n

on d

emoc

ratic

?


If I have to organize a seminar, a conference or a political forum

Spaces and tools

a metaphor


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Software is not just a device with which the user interactsit is also the generator of a space in which the user lives.

Software design is like architecture:When an architect designs an home or anoffice building ... the pattern of lifefor its inhabitants are being shaped.People are thought of as inhabitantsrather than as users of buildings...focusing on how they live in the spacesthe designers create

We speak of DIGITAL HABITATS Terry Winograd Bringing Design to Software, 1996

Software System Design is like architecture


Architects of social change

Issues to be considered why people should participate ? why politicians should participate ? who is the owner the online space where participation occurs ?

who is the owner of the participants archives ? who manages it ? who defines the conversation roles and rules (moderators,

administrators, participats) who, when and how can change them ? who intervene when rules are violated ? …..……

As architects of these spaces, we are shaping the social structure of themovements/initiative


groups of citizens who really want to influence the decision-making process [at the local level]also in case of reluctant institutions

public institutions which really want to involve citizens in thedecision-making process

need concepts and tools to design and implementcivic/deliberative digital habitatsi.e., online spaces created for enabling people’ civic engagement

need a way to organize these concepts

OUR design problem


The need for a design framework

a collection of (organized) concepts discussed in the literature rooted in the democratic tradition learned by experience

to support conversations among promoters and designers ofcivic/deliberative digital habitats

empirically tested in our own initiatives in the analysis of several case studies in education


A design framework for designing civic digital habitats

Consists of 4

1. to balance 3 dimensions and support different kind of activities

(4 spaces)

2. to design the osmosis with the Internet

3. to involve people in the design/development process

4. to design participation over time

Continuously evolving (a wiki ?)


GemeinschaftGesellschaft

Technology

The “glue” which takes peopletogether

• tools• features

(1) to balance 3 dimensions

Toennis (1887) Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft

The rules which define the socialstructure


The gemeinschaft dimension

participation is demanding

it cannot be a continuum

keep on the fly occasions which trigger participation

allow different types and degree of participation(provide opportunities)

participation (not technology) is a learning process

citizens: responsibility & awareness

politicians: delegate power

never assume sharing of goals, may be interests

Effective metaphor of a win-win game which brings togethera set of social actors


The gesellschaft dimension

What is the participatory contract among the social actors (neverusers or customers) ? (terms of service)

Which identification policy?

Anonymity

How to preserve a civil, civic dialogue?

Galateo (code of conduct)

Who is the referee?

Moderation as a service to the community

Who is the ‘guarantor’ of the game?

The role of third parties (My Society, RCM Foundation)


Gemeinschaft : a masterpiece a very well identified shared interest mapped into effective

logo, slogan, color

Gesellschaft &Technology: a disaster an anonymous administrator

who bans the other admins as soon asthey manifest a divergent opinion

Facebook:the rules for managing the pagechanged several times accordingto Fb marketing needs

The Violet People: a case to learn


The technology dimension: spaces and tools

Community cultivation

Individual participation

interazioni asincrone

publishing

interazioni sincrone

Wenger et al. 2005,Technology for communities


InformationSpaceknowledge sharing

Deliberative Space

Community Spacefree interactions the “pic-nic” space

purposeful interactions

reputation social relationship

Personal Space

The technology dimension: spaces and tools


the need for dedicated tool

E. Wenger et al. 2005

• platform (hopefully, open-source)• tools, rooted in the democratic tradition• features, enforcing ‘good’ behaviours


openDCN, an open-source platform

Inspiration from the analysis of offline participatory processes

(Agenda 21, participatory budgeting, deliberative polling)a set of different deliberation modalities

adapted by observing recent citizens praxis

Informed Discussion (asynchronous, several participants)rationale, interactive, responsible, fair,…supported by a georeferential map

Deliberative Meeting (synchronous, not too many participants)regulated by Robert’s Rules of Order

Citizens Consultation (asynchronous, many participants)vote anonimity, secrecy, uniqueness, reliability, ….

Problems & Proposals (asynchronous, several participants)a more structured informed discussion

These “democratic” features have to be ‘embedded’ within the tools


Public Informed Discussion features

rational:I don’t attach you, but I explain why I do not agree with you,possibly with the support of factual data(space for documents, video, photos, ….)

interactive:when I say something, I take into account what has alreadybeen said

responsible:people should be encouraged to ‘put their face’, while allowingdifferent levels of engagement (styles of citizenship)


The design framework for designing civic digital habitats

Consists of 4

1. to balance 3 dimensions and support different kind of activities

(4 spaces)

2. to design the osmosis with the Internet

3. to involve people in the design/development process

4. to design participation over time



Deliberative Space

Community Spacefree interactions



Personal Space

(2) to design the osmosis with the Internet


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Deliberative Space

Community Spacefree interactions



Personal Space

YouTube Facebook Twitter….... Flickr …….

(2) to design the osmosis with the Internet

the websites of public institutions, political parties and movements, ofsingle politicians, ……. It is not matter of APIs, but regards the role ofthe different online environments


(3) to involve people in the process(4) to design participation over time

through direct involvement (focus groups, interviews, surveys)expensive and not always effective

by learning from the field experiences continuous monitoring users feed-back gathering lead users lead communties

Designing and cultivating Adopting suitable approaches to software development

(e.g., agile programming)

The 2 remaining guidelines


Two iterations

Da “Web Science” (2008): Tim Berners-Lee et al.

Participatory design through iterations

To validate the framework


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Digital Habitats have to be cultivated

The gardener: prepares the ground choose and sows the seeds waters and manures it looks if they sprouts helps the growth by cutting dead

branches

Who is the gardener ?the community manager

Designing and cultivating


A case study

The compairison among similar initiatives: allow citizens to use amap to report problems for local government to fix

UK: http://www.fixmystreet.com/ Venice: http://iris.comune.venezia.it/Iris/ Udine: http://www.epart.it/udine/ Milano: http://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/

considering the 4 design principles the 3 dimensions

gemeinschaft, gesellschaft, technology (spaces and) software tools

Fiorella de CindioISDT 2011, Porto 45Fiorella De Cindio, ALPIS 2011

Carisolo, 10 febbraio 2011






Progetto IRIS: Venezia 2.0

zero comments


Delegation:to fix

the problemin my

neighborhoodis your job


ePart: the social network of the citizens who participatebut comments are disabled !a service: Udine municipality promote it as “active listening”


• most are anonymous (but those with citizens name arepublished in the ePart home page)

• complains about moderation


Sicure

Sicurezza Stradale (all’interno di partecipaMi)


Sicurezza Stradale (Road safety)

Promoted by no profit bodies: Ciclobby and RCM Foundation

Ciclobby obtained from the City gov to set up a forum todiscuss mobility problems for bikers (and beyond)

RCM Foundation offered support with two spaces: a geo-referenced informed discussion to collect citizens

reports an informed discussion to follow the forum activities and

discuss general issues


Sicurezza Stradale: the timeline

31 March 2008:the forum is set up in the City House and the web site is opened

……… citizens report …….. in parallel: discussion in the forum involving citizens, city council

members (opposition), the alderman 13 Jan 2009

presentation of a summary of the citizens reports142 problems (>50% with comments) from 97 citizens, 55 solutions

No feedback from the administration……… citizens continue to report …….. 15 Nov 2011:

the Mayor discharges the Alderman……… citizens continue to report ……..

20 new problems and several updates on the previous ones 30 June 2011:

a new Government is elected, a former member of the forum is nowpart of the gov: will the new gov consider citizens reports ?

……… citizens continue to report ……..


Sicurezza Stradale is deliberative

The course of the forum is documented in a thread opened by thePresident of the promoting nonprofit association (Ciclobby)with posts from the Alderman and two influential members ofthe City Council seating in the oppositionhttp://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/infodiscs/view/5

it contains all the relevant documentation, which would allow thenew gov to consider citizens remarks

The overall online discussion is deliberative: More than 50% of the problems are commented (to enforce,

to question, to arguments) A large majority of the threads is illustrated with documents,

photos, links, some video


Sicurezza Stradale: threads that is worth considering

1. Citizens organize a petition to ask the Alderman the change of adecisionhttp://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/infodiscs/view/1373

2. Citizens designs new solution providing ‘simulations’http://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/infodiscs/view/1548see “Materiale informativo”

3. After the remark by a citizens http://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/infodiscs/view/1636a Member of a District Council, presents a formal questionhttp://gen2007-mag2011.partecipami.it/?q=node/11159/20516&single=1&#and keep citizens informed on the course of her question: the problemis going to be solvedhttp://gen2007-mag2011.partecipami.it/?q=node/11159/20645&single=1&#

4. Citizens inform that a problem has been solvedhttp://www.sicurezzastradale.partecipami.it/infodiscs/view/1155#body_1646


A framework for designing Deliberative Digital Habitat

How general it is ?How complete it is ? merge with other frameworks

to enhances the way in which we share experiencesHow useful it is ?

it enhances the possibility that most of the relevant issues areconsidered in the design as their underestimation can createsubstantial problems: capability to undertake even simple forms of deliberation democracy sustainability of the movement/initiative possibility of increasing level of participation (Laura’s scale)



access

education

e-gov services be informed (transparency)

to inform

be heard

Active participation

The rainbow of digital citizenship rights

Adapted from:OECS (2001) Citizens as partners:Information, consultationand public participationin policy-making

A. Clement and L. Shade (2000),The access rainbow: conceptualizing

universal access toinformation/communications

infrastructure.

“the net”

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Still holds the characterization of online communities adapted in(De Cindio e Ripamonti, 2004 → 2010) from Jenny Preece, 2000

Communities: Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability

A set of people who freely interact over time as they1. recognize a common interest that holds them together and

lead them to share knowledge, experience, rituals, a commonstory, ….

dimensione gemeischaft2. agree to define and follow implicit or explicit policies for

regulating their interactionsdimensione gesellschaft

3. (also) through an ICT-based communication environmentdimensione tecnologica

Digital Habitat


Fiorella De Cindio, What after protests? Design issues and software tools toward deliberative democracy

Technology

cindio isdt

istituzioni fiorella

computer science

empirical basis

organizers of isdt

inventing isdt

informatics perspective

gay pride fiorella